Nokia Lumia 900 now half-price following Windows Phone 8

Following the news that there’ll be no upgrade path to Windows Phone 8 for the handset, Nokia has halved the price of its flagship Lumia 900 phone.

Customers on the AT&T network in the United States will now have to pay just $49.99 to get their hands on the device, which was launched earlier this year.

The previous price of $99.99 was already half of what customers would be expected to pay for a top-end smartphone on a two year contract, as Nokia aggressively pushed its new device.

The reviews were very positive and initial uptake was good.No upgrade path

However, the device had its proverbial legs cut from under it when Microsoft announced that no current handsets can handle the forthcoming Windows Phone 8 operating system.

This will effectively make the Lumia 900 and others obsolete within a few months.

Existing handset owners will receive the Windows Phone 7.8 upgrade as a largely superficial consolation prize, but snaring new customers will now prove problematic for troubled Nokia.

“This move is a normal strategy that is put in place during the lifecycle of most phones,” Nokia spokesman Doug Dawson explained to the Wall Street Journal. “It allows a broader consumer base to buy this flagship device at a more accessible price.”